After Getting Burned by DeVries, Wren Baker Lands a Coach Who Will Embrace West Virginia

This time a year ago, Darian DeVries was introduced as the new men's head basketball coach at West Virginia. Those who were in attendance or watched the press conference didn't walk away from it as if he crushed it with his message to the fans, but as all people feel at these things, they felt confident he was the guy.

The more he won and beat top-ranked teams, the stronger that belief felt. Then, of course, he ripped the rug right out from under the program by leaving for Indiana, not even a full year after moving to Morgantown. It put Wren Baker in a tough spot, and he knew that this time around, he would have to ask a few extra questions about the commitment each candidate would have if chosen for the job.

Every time Ross Hodge talked specifically about the opportunity of being the next head coach at WVU, he had an added excitement and eagerness to him, Baker told reporters on Thursday. He could tell that this was a place where he truly wanted to be, make an impact, and make his home.

“We wanted someone of high character. Someone who would truly embrace West Virginia and our values. The passion, work ethic, grit, and determination that makes us Mountaineers. Someone we can be proud of and who could embrace representing this state, our university, and this program," Baker said. "Finally, we wanted someone that we knew would entrench themselves in West Virginia. This is a great place to live and work. It’s a privilege to represent Mountaineer Nation, and we felt it was important the next head coach and their family put down roots and truly embrace being here.”

There have been very few coaches in the history of sports who didn't "win" the introductory press conference, i.e., Adam Gase with the New York Jets or Nick Sirianni with the Philadelphia Eagles come to mind. At the end of the day, it all comes down to winning the only thing that matters - games. That being said, the fan base heard what it needed to hear today, and that, in my opinion, goes down as win No. 1.

The relationship between Darian DeVries and the Mountaineer fan base, albeit in a small sample size, felt non-existent. I don't get the sense that will be the case here with Hodge, who feels like a more natural fit for WVU. He's humble, is about hard work, and cares deeply about the people who give him big opportunities.

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